Check These Facts Before Using Propane For Your Home

Many homes use propane extensively, thanks to its versatility and effectiveness. Using propane at home requires more attention and care for safety, and in this post, we have listed down the things that need your immediate attention.

Be careful

You must have noticed that propane smells like rotten eggs, which allows homeowners and occupants to detect a leak in time. If you suspect a leak, do not panic and call the fire department immediately. You should also consider contacting your propane supplier. Ideally, it is best to get all propane appliances check at least once every year. Your supplier can help in this regard. Regular maintenance and upkeep of your appliances can reduce considerable amount of risk associated with the use the gas. If you have portable propane tanks at home, don’t store them in the basement or close to the car, and be careful of moving them from one place to another. For new appliances, contact your propane service retailer to get the connections done and checked. If you have BBQ grills that run on gas, do not use them inside the house.

Cost of using propane

Wondering how much propane do my appliances use? Typically, most homes have a tank size of 250 to 1000-gallon, depending on the size of the property. To understand the use of propane, you need to know the term called ‘British Thermal Units’, which is the measurement of energy needed to heat/cool a pound of water by 1o. With propane, you get around 91,500 BTUs per hour for one gallon. Heating devices tend to use more gas than others, so expect to spend more when you are using the HVAC furnace or the pool heater. Comparatively, tankless water heaters tend to consume less, while cooking ranges consume even lesser.

Most homeowners are interested in knowing the amount of gas they need every month, and if that’s the case, you should contact your propane supplier at the earliest to get a rough estimate. Do note that some of the appliances may use more gas in winter, and if you have a larger household, you will eventually spend more than the same property near you that has four people. Propane suppliers can tell you about the possible usage requirements and how frequently you need to refill the thank. Some of the suppliers have their own budgeting programs, which may come handy, especially if you are trying to save on your bills.